Letting the light in
by The Writer Forever
Summary: Mary & Chris story. Set after the episode "Inmate 78"
1. Chapter 1

**I am just borrowing the Magnificent 7 characters, I don't own them. This story is set after the episode "Inmate 78" and it is Mary & Chris story.**

It was about two hours in the afternoon and town folks were heading toward their homes for a lunch. Chattering and music were heard from the saloon.

Mary watched the street, her hands crossed on her chest. She stood at the porch of The Clarion News, worry clouding her beautiful face. In a next minute she move, taking impatient steps on the porch. She looked down the dusty road, only to silently huff in a frustration.

Still nothing.

It was already two days since six lawmen went out to find Chris. He was away way too long and she got worried. Not even Buck's light words about Chris' possible whereabouts couldn't ease her mind… only added to her anxiety and embarrassment. She could swear that she was transparent as a glass when she entered the saloon that day and asked Buck, JD and Nathan about Chris. She tried to sound formal back than, assuring herself that it was nothing strange in her worry when seven lawmen's leader didn't come back after ten days. She was worried because of the town and for a men who brought peace to the Four Corners. Nothing else.

That was what she was telling to herself.

Yet, here she was, leaving her work behind and waiting to hear something. Billy was having lunch with Orrin and Mary excused herself, saying that she isn't hungry. Ever since than, she was standing at the porch, waiting…

'_What if something happened to him?' _At that thought icy cold fear squeezed Mary's heart. Her breathing fastened up, her sight going blur as tears threatened to pour down her cheeks…

It was at that moment that she saw a group riding into the town. Before she could get a grip, they came closer and she saw him.

Surrounded by his faithful companions, he rode on his black horse, and in next moment he stopped beside the saloon. He tied his horse, smiling at Buck having a go at JD.

"C'me on, kid, say a funny joke and I will buy you a beer", Buck kept on pissing JD off. Youngest member of team let out a sarcastic laugh and stomped inside the saloon.

"This will be interesting", smirked Buck and followed JD inside the saloon.

As the others followed them, Chris looked up and froze at the sight of a woman across the street.

"You coming, Chris?", Vin's voice was heard and Chris nodded.

"Yeah", but he didn't move.

Mary watched as seven lawmen dismounted their horses. With a corner of her eye, she caught Buck and JD having another of their famous disputes and couldn't help but smile. Those two will stay kids for the rest of their lifetime.

But, her attention never left the man who was tying the rope of the black stallion. Her eyes drank in the sight of him; she never saw him wearing anything but black clothes. He looked so handsome wearing this white shirt. Mary couldn't take her eyes of him.

She saw him smile at Buck and JD and relief touched her heart. He was all right. That was all she needed to know.

Was it?

Over last few days she was sick worried about him. She couldn't concentrate on work, on conversations with Orrin, on spending time with Billy… It felt like something was torn away from her, like her heart was pulled out violently from her chest and it hurt… God, it hurt!

By than, she didn't want to admit to herself how much he meant to her … didn't want to admit how big part of her life he had become.

He couldn't take his eyes of her sad and beautiful face framed with the locks of golden hair. Her eyes were fixed on his eyes, he could feel her stare reaching the most hidden parts of his heart and soul that were surrounded by the darkness… She was the light that broke that wall.

In long hours back in the prison, Chris had time to think about his life… about people in his life. He couldn't deny anymore that he actually started to live again because he felt the pain just by thinking of not seeing his friends ever again… not going fishing with Billy again…

…Not seeing Mary…

It was Buck who told him that Mary was the first one who got worried for him… that she urged them to go and find him. Now, it was obvious that Mary saved his life… in every way it counts.

Mary felt her lips get dry from barely breathing… She quickly licked them and than swallowed once to regain her composure… He never looked at her like this… and that long.

She blinked once, but didn't broke their eyes contact. Waiting… wishing that he comes over to her. Because, she was in no condition to step forward… Her legs felt like stone and she couldn't move.

The black stallion stomped his front feet a bit and his movement broke the moment. Chris glanced at his horse and gently tapped him. He started to go up the stairs toward the saloon, deciding to stop this right here and now…

…But, he couldn't stop himself from stealing a glance at Mary once again… And it felt like a knife cutting his heart when he saw pain on her face. Just as he looked at her, she turned around and in next moment disappeared behind the doors of The Clarion.

Chris cursed silently at himself and entered the saloon…


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Mary put the pen down on the desk in front of her and massaged her neck. The night behind her was sleepless, she was tossing and turning in the bed whole the time until she finally decided to give up on sleep and get up to write some articles for The Clarion News. It was supposed to be finished tomorrow and she had less than 24 hours to finish last few texts. With Chris back now, safe and sound, she thought that now she could go back to her normal life and everyday's activities. She will be able to concentrate on her tasks.

And yet, here she was, three hours later, still sitting above them same article. Her neck started to ache and she huffed in frustration, giving up on article for now.

Getting up, she looked through the window. It was barely a dawn, the first rays of sun shyly started to play behind the hills. The streets were empty.

Mary took few steps across the office, trying to make herself work on the article. It was about the sheriff in the town not so far away from the Four Corners. She made some research, even managed to get an interview from him, but she remembered that Stephen wrote about that man once – precisely, when he became a sheriff. Due to events last few days, Mary couldn't make herself to search for that old article about the sheriff, but now, as she couldn't place her thoughts on the paper, now it looked like a perfect time to look for it.

She opened an old brown chest where she held an archive of the Clarion News. A cloud of dust made her cough as she reached in the chest to take out The Clarion news about 3-4 years old. She couldn't remember exactly when did Jack Murdock became a sheriff, but she remembered that it was when she and Stephen came back from their trip to Mexico. Mary smiled sadly as she remembered that trip… She still missed Stephen dearly, but ever since Billy came back, she got new strength, new will to go on.

She flipped through the pages of one issue of newspapers when one headline caught her attention. Mary's eyes widened in disbelief as she read it.

**"Woman and a boy burned alive"**

She felt the lump creating in her throat. How was it possible that she didn't notice this article when Stephen printed it out?

Than it came to her; being busy with Billy and house when her son was still a a baby made her not being able to read some of the issues of The Clarion News. By the time she would find time, she would take the new issue of the newspapers and didn't even pay a single thought to the previous ones…

This must be one of the issues she missed.

As she recovered enough and wanted to go on with reading, sharp pain stabbed her heart, piercing through it like a sharp knife, so strong that she almost screamed.

There was a photo. Family photo.

Of Sarah and Adam…

...and Chris.

Cold sweat ran down Mary's back as she watched the photo. She gently caressed the face of a little dark – haired boy, her heart breaking at the sight of him. He looked so happy. Who on Earth could even think to do something to harm a kid?! It was beyond Mary's understanding.

On his left stood a woman. Her hair was long and curly, also dark. She wore a blue dress and her smile was so warm. Her right hand was gently placed on the little boy's shoulder. She was so beautiful.

Mary's sight started to get blur as her eyes looked to the right… Chris.

A sob escaped her mouth and she quickly covered her lips with her palm. She could feel the pain squeezing her heart with such power that she could barely breathe.

He looked so peaceful. So happy. So much different than a bitter, sad gunslinger that she knew. He wore a suit, dark one, with white shirt.

"Ah, damn!", Mary silently cursed as one tear dropped from her cheek, making a wet spot on the article. She quickly wiped it and took a deep breath, looking away from the newspapers in her hands.

Totally forgetting about the article about the sheriff, Mary closed the chest and stood up, still holding the issue of The Clarion News where Stephen wrote about Chris' family in her hands.

Going back toward her table, Mary laid the newspapers on the table, staring at them, not knowing what to do.

Taking another deep breath in, she laid a palm on the left side of her breasts. Feeling her heartbeat, she remembered the words Buck told her some time ago…

'…_In one night, everything was gone. All he's got left are memories. I don't know can he still remember their faces. He doesn't even have their photos. Everything burned out with them, like they never existed…'_

Having a will of its own, Mary's hand reached for the scissors. Before she was aware of what she was doing, scissors were cutting the photo from the article.

Giving him the article would be like pulling his heart out of his chest. Mary didn't even have strength to read it. She placed the newspapers in the drawer and looked at the photo in her hands. It was black and white, but it was still a photo. A photo of Chris' family. The only photo that was left of them.

For a moment, Mary wondered how Stephen got the photo for the article, but she shook away that thought quickly. He was a journalist, it was his job to obtain information and photos for his articles.

Her eyes stopped at the window as she watched the town slowly waking up.

'_How am I going to give him this? How will he react? What if he tears it apart, not wanting to be reminded of what he had lost?' _, these questions were going through Mary's mind. Indeed, impulsive as he was, chris could tear the photo in small pieces.

She couldn't allow that. Opening a drawer, Mary searched through the papers inside it and finally found what she was looking for.

A photo frame.

Taking out her napkin, Mary cleaned the dust away from the photo frame and when it was done, she carefully placed the photo in the frame, watching that she doesn't damage the paper. She worked hard, but at the end she made it.

A breath of relief left her mouth as she watched it… before a little voice in her head asked:

'_How are you going to give this to Chris?'_


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The sun was high on the sky and Mary was standing on the porch in front of the Clarion. Her gaze was set on the jail as she watched two men sitting there and observing the street for any kind of trouble that might come. Chris and Vin.

For long moments now, she was trying to make herself to step down the Clarion porch and walked toward the jail. To get over with it. Her fingers nervously squeezed around the paper which was protecting the framed photo.

"Maybe I should wait for some holiday to come", she murmured silently.

"I doubt that any holiday will come soon, Mrs. Travis", Buck's voice was heard and pretty window jumped startled. Turning around, she saw ladies' man smiling friendly at her. For a moment, she didn't know what to say. Buck saved her from it "Sorry that I startled you. I was just passing by and heard you talking to yourself. You looked kinda…", he fought for the right word "…tense. Just wanted to make sure that everything is all right", Buck finished his line with friendly worry in his voice.

Mary couldn't help but to smile warmly at his worry.

"Thank you, Mr. Wilmington. I'm fine", she replied, but Buck saw behind her answer. She didn't sound very assuring.

"Sure?", he asked, raising his eyebrows "Is Billy okay?"

Mary nodded, feeling nervous again.

"Yeah, Billy is all right… It's just…", she stumbled upon the next words, glaring at the small package in her hands.

"What?", pressed Buck.

For a moment or so, Mary was staring at the package in her hands, finding out that there is no strength in her to give this to Chris. Or neither to approach him without a reason that wasn't about the job.

Therefore, swallowing, she mumbled a question:

"Can I ask you to do me a favour, Mr. Wilmington?"

"Sure", Buck replied, having no idea what was she on about.

The next moment, pretty widow handed him some small package, wrapped up in blue paper and asked with pleading and shivering voice:

"Could you give this to Mr. Larabee?"

For a moment, Buck was caught off the guard. _Mary had a present for Chris?_

"Yeah, sure", he said, puzzled.

_Why couldn't Mary do it herself? What was in that small package?_

"Thank you", Mary said, barely audible and as the small package left her hands and passed on Buck's palm, she quickly went inside the Clarion, leaving Buck totally confused, staring at the package like he didn't know what is he going to do with it.

He slowly left the Clarion porch and walked down the street, toward the jail, trying to feel under his fingers what was hiding under the blue paper. It was hard, like piece of a wood or something…

"Hey, Buck", he suddenly heard Vin's voice "What's got you so occupied?

A bounty hunter couldn't believe that for once Inez passed by buck and that he didn't notice her. Even lovely bartender turned around to look surprised at ladies' man.

Chris didn't say a word, just watched his old friend under his black hat. Something was on Buck's mind, something serious, that's for sure.

Buck looked up at his two friends, his mouth dry. He was nervous to hand this package to Chris – and he didn't even know why.

"Buck?", Vin tried again.

Ladies' man barely paid attention to Vin as he took a step forward and handing a small package to Chris, he mumbled:

"Mrs. Travis asked me to give you this."

Slightly creasing his eyebrows, Chris hesitantly accepted small package from Buck's hand. He was silent as he slowly started to unwrap the blue paper…

Buck barely breathed as he observed Chris while he was removing the blue paper. For some unknown reason, he didn't have a good feeling about all this.

Chris removed the paper and first thing he saw was a face of a boy that he didn't see three years… Three damn years since that damn day…

A breath got caught in his throat and suddenly he couldn't breathe.

It was a photo.

A photo of his family.


End file.
